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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28288326">Gift</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_Writer/pseuds/Dreaming_Writer'>Dreaming_Writer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Four Sword Adventures, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Gen, Introspection, No Angst, Secret Santa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:43:05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,656</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28288326</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreaming_Writer/pseuds/Dreaming_Writer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The last sighing of the Minish had been centuries ago...<br/>So how come this tiny Minish was now found in the snow shivering, blinking his red button-like eyes up at his savior?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Gift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Mckittyarts">Mckittyarts</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Merry Christmas and happy holidays @mckittyarts! I got you for secret Santa! A little reindeer told me you wanted something with Vaati...so here you go!<br/>This was quite the challenge for I never wrote Vaati before but I still hope you'll like it.<br/>Also Shoutout to @imaginefourswords for holding this event!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>
  <b>Gift</b>
</h1><p>
  <span>The snow was soft and white and clear and the tiny figure huddled within the bitter cold substance was shivering badly as it awoke. Or better, he. Because the tiny mouselike creature was a he, a male Minish to be exact, his body still comparable young to others in his species…a species long since forgotten by the people of Hyrule, their last true sighting centuries ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Minish – or Picori as mankind preferred to call them – are the size of mice and have the very helpful characteristic of being obsessed with helping people. Which while lovely, often went unseen due to the slight miscalculation of Minish only being able to be seen by themselves, animals and good children. On top of that came the fact that most of them had left to their own little world, leaving only few and far between behind unseen, only coming out one day every one hundred years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So how come this tiny Minish was now found in the snow shivering, blinking his red button-like eyes up at his savior?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>0oOo0</span>
</p><p>
  <span>gift – noun</span>
</p><p>
  <span>a thing given willingly to someone without payment; a present.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>a natural ability or talent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>oO0Oo</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite what many people may say or think in the debate against nature vs nurture, no one ever was born evil. Some might be born with greater potential to become so one day, but no baby that ever graced the world came into it holding a weapon and evil plans in their mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The same was also true for a certain red eyed Minish. Not that his peers ever got the reminder. As kind as Minish could be to mankind, as cruel could they be to each other, but such was the circle of things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaati was born with his red eyes, a small genetical anomaly. Yet despite such a simple difference, everyone took one look at him and decided he was meant for evil. No matter how much the young Minish tried, he couldn’t grab even the smallest positive attention, not even with his great gift for the element of the wind. And thus, finding no real kindness in his people, Vaati turned to mankind, watching and seeing how they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s how he learned their cruelness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While still reeling from this revelation he was taken in by the old Minish mage Ezlo to become his apprentice, who had heard about his talent. While strict, Ezlo was also the first Minish to show Vaati kindness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Had Ezlo been just a day or two faster, Vaati’s eventual descent into power lust and cruelty might have been stopped before it ever began. But alas, the hands of fate were cruel and such did not happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaati learned what Ezlo taught him and he thrived under Ezlo’s tutelage. But every night he sneaked outside to watch mankind and evil deeds, fascinated by the darkness in their hearts and wondering if he was the first Minish to realize that his people were just as flawed as them and tainted by their own kind of darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And – seeing as the Minish still loved mankind even though they had flaws – he thought that maybe he could become one of them and for once actually be liked by his people.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So when his Master Ezlo showed him his newest project, a powerful wishing cap he wanted to gift the Hylians, Vaati took his chance. He took the cap and put it on his head much to his Master’s protests, closed his eyes and wished to become Hylian, too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And when he opened his eyes, Vaati was able to look down at the tiny Ezlo by his feet. And he realized with a start, he could just squish him and no one would ever now. He would be able to start entirely new as a Hylian with no one any wiser.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But…he couldn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He couldn’t kill the one Minish that had been kind to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And so instead he turned the old Minish mage into a hat and quickly left. He came to Castle Town and rented an inn, only to be thrown out due to blatant lack of money. It made Vaati realize he needed power so he would be treated with respect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But what was even worse, when he was thrown out, the cap had slipped off his head and suddenly Vaati found himself a Minish again. And that’s when he knew for sure he’d do literally anything to get enough strong magic to make his form permanent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Driven by his wish, Vaati researched for the best possibility to gain power and strong magic. And research showed, there was an ancient artifact that could give him both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Light Force.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And it all only went downhill from there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>0oOo0</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaati woke to warmth. Which was surprising seeing as the last thing he remembered was the bitter cold. Blinking his large red button eyes, he sat up and found himself wrapped in a – for him – gigantic green scarf. His head ached with memories he had regained after centuries of being without them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then a young face popped into his field of vision, wide blue eyes looking curiously down at them, something shifting hidden behind these large innocent orbs. Vaati blinked and the boy blinked back before starting to smile: "Heya there, little Picori! Did you sleep well? Why were you outside in the cold, little buddy? You were near dead when I found you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It'd be too easy to just ignore the hylian boy and act like he didn't understand hylian while still being able to sort himself out in peace. No more annoying questions and just helpfulness...and all that even though Vaati's rescuer was the hero himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently unlike Vaati, who had returned at last to mortal life and sanity due to the destruction of the Dark Mirror in his last fight, the hero had not regained his memories of past lives and fights against Vaati. Which was even better for he didn't possess a clue therefore just whom he had just rescued, which was all the better for it meant the hero would ensure Vaati's return to power and then find his throat slid when he expected it the least...perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thus, as much as he hated to force himself as low as to act as the species he was born as, Vaati gave out a questioning chirp. Regaining his power better be worth this humiliating farce or else…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hero's eyes widened and his ears twitched as he stilled for a moment, listening to voices only he could hear. Then he rubbed the back of his head embarrassed, looking apologetic."I see, little buddy, you can't speak Hylian, can you? You must be frightened…"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He trailed off, looking sad before his gaze turned determined: "Don't you worry, I will make sure you'll be happy and not alone! You'll learn how to speak Hylian soon!" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He paused, grinning sheepishly: "I'm Link, by the way...and until you know Hylian and can tell me your name, you also need something to call you…" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>While the foolish hero thought for a moment, Vaati's ears pinned back unhappily. He had seen the best of the hero's naming skills already in action...he feared what he'd end up with. Was that really worth the ruse?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Cherry! You're gonna be cherry, cause you got so pretty eyes, like two cherries" the hero looked so ridiculously happy with this naming choice. But Vaati felt like he was about ready to die (again). Dear Goddesses, was this punishment for his actions and choice? Please have mercy!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>0oOo0</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While using the hero to regain his physical strength was easy, it didn't help Vaati on his quest to regain his magic and Hylian body. Especially seeing as he didn't have the chance to do any reading, research or experiments for the hero insisted to be by his side 24/7 so little Cherry wasn't scared or lonely. Which was truly degrading.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also, the hero was talking non-stop. At a time Vaati even suspected the hero didn't need to breathe. Of course it was all on his goody-two-shoes quest to teach the poor "innocent unknowing Cherry" Hylian.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But by now it only grated on Vaati's nerves quite effectively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Also it seemed like the hero had gone insane for he was constantly talking to the four voices in his head...which were apparently what was left over from the four different characters the parts of the hero had built over the course of their adventure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaati wasn't sure if this insanity would help him regain power over Hyrule or hinder him due to the instability that was the hero's mind, making it harder to calculate the hero's next step. And the constant talking…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If there was one good thing that would come out of this whole humbling experience stuck as a Minish it was that it taught Vaati patience. Didn't mean he wouldn't rip the hero's throat out as soon as he could so the other would stop talking forever at last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But apparently that non-stop talking served more than just that one purpose as it showed. Because in being condemned to silence Vaati was deemed utterly harmless and innocent. Didn’t mean he wouldn’t slit the hero’s throat soon…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why he hadn’t yet? Phhht, easy, he still had a lot to learn about the rebuilt castle’s layout… Being Cherry also meant being cared for and peppered up and that was very helpful to enable him to regain his strength earlier and earning himself the hero’s trust and secrets!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, he definitely wasn’t going soft, what gave you that ludicrous idea?!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But growing closer in the trust hierarchy of the hero also brought another challenge with it…namely the hero’s best friend. The princess only took one glance at him and demanded to talk to “Cherry” alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that’s how the purple Minish with ruby eyes landed on her desk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Vaati” the princess almost spat out, eyes narrowed in disgust, hair surrounding her like a golden halo and Vaati remembered promptly too well why he had once fallen for one of her prior incarnations. She had that aura, that spitfire and pride that had always fascinated him in humans.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Princess” he greeted casually like he wasn’t looking up at her but once more down. Oh, how the tables had turned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are you here?” she inquired, voice dangerously low, one wrong movement or word and he knew he’d spend his days locked up in a birdcage under constant surveillance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your hero picked me up and brought me here. Are you really that disillusioned to think I’d come here by free will?” he snarked, crossing his small arms. “And how did you know it was me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your magic reeks of wind and corruption, which is only slightly better than the one I felt from your demon form” she elaborated, eyes narrowed. “Why are you a Picori?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Minish” he snarkily corrected. “And what is this? Twenty questions?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you want it to be” her smile was cutting, dangerous. “You’ve got seventeen questions left to convince me not to lock you up for life. Why would a Minish, a benevolent magic being of light want the destruction you have strived for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hah! Destruction! You act like I’m some sort of mindless monster that only wants destruction! Yes, I might’ve lost my sanity a bit on the way here, but now it’s all back! And I never strived for destruction, but power!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By destroying everything in your way!” the princess accused, glaring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaati winced slightly, from his height she was as much as he loathed to admit it very much intimidating. He mulled her accusation over, sighing, shaking his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No…that was never my intention. I only wanted power, to become the best of the Hylians that my people so seek to help and admire. They accept them blindly with all their faults and mistakes, respect them and only see them for the good things they do. Hah!” Vaati scoffed. “I saw through your people, I saw your wrongs and the darkness you carry within. I might’ve been born with an ability for wind but that doesn’t make me an airhead who overlooks everything. My people love yours and yet when one is born even with the smallest difference they have not even the slightest acceptance left to spare!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…so that’s what started your descent into power lust and madness? Your desire to be accepted and respected?” she noted clinically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! I wanted them to see their own mistakes, to grovel at my feet in apology for their sins! They shall shiver and quiver, just like your people and bow to me to repay what they have done, for they are corrupted, just as corrupted as the rest of you are!” Vaati spat, gesturing widely, his unleashed emotions summoning a harmless whirlwind in the princess’ room, disorganizing the papers lying around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What you’re describing doesn’t sound like acceptance or respect…it sounds like fear” the princess noted, frown increasing, scoffing at his words, unbothered by his temper tantrum.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The wind died again and Vaati stared at her, at her audacity to think of his motive as something tainted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But…maybe it was. Maybe it had changed and twisted in his time of madness?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, what do you suggest then?” he might want power to reach his goal, but Vaati was also a coward at heart who didn’t want to spend the rest of his life locked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled, a bit too predatorily in Vaati’s humble opinion. “Change. Change for the better. You got a gift with the element of the wind, use it well and not for bad. The Goddesses gifted you your sanity back, now use this gift to choose a better way to reach your goal of respect and acceptance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you know I won’t choose wrong, princess?” Vaati scoffed, slightly disgusted by her positive outlook.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just because you were wrong once doesn’t mean you have to be wrong forever. You can find your own new, better path.” She smiled, a true real smile this time. “And maybe just because Vaati can’t, doesn’t mean that Cherry can’t find a good path to follow. And this second chance, second life is the greatest gift of all. Don’t waste it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vaati nodded, finally resigning himself to play nice a little longer. Because this ‘Don’t waste it’ screamed that if he messed this up, he’d never see daylight again, ever. There wouldn’t be a miraculous third chance. He wanted to say something snarky, but he pushed it down. No need to anger the princess. Better suck it up for now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, princess” he gritted out, trying his best to sound polite.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She actually dared to reach out and pat his head, looking amused. “Be good, Cherry. And make Link happy by actually talking to him for once. Or he might think you’re slow by not learning to speak at all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not slow!” Vaati bit out, slapping her hand away best he could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Prove it then” she dared before swiftly picking him up despite his protests and carrying him out to where the hero waited, face immediately lightening up when he saw his best friend and Vaati.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your new friend is certainly interesting” she stated, handing Vaati to the hero.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Friend?!” spat Vaati out, and then realized what the cunning princess had done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hero’s face had lighted up and he beamed at Vaati like he had just handed him a precious gift: “Yeah! I’m your friend, Cherry!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And at the princess’ laughter, the hero’s happy talking, Vaati chose to grimace and bear it for now. Ezlo had called him gifted…and maybe he was for he wasn’t dead but gifted a second chance. How great this second opportunity was, was debatable but the princess spoke truth when she declared it one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Vaati would be an idiot to waste his gift again.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Shoutout to Agent3Novi for betaing again!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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